Abstract: A cleaning device, a process cartridge, an image forming apparatus and toner are disclosed to maintain improved cleaning performance for a long time. The cleaning device includes a cleaning blade, an antifriction agent coating part and a toner removing part. The cleaning blade is disposed in contact with a surface of an image support body. The antifriction agent coating part coats a solid antifriction agent on the surface of the image support body, and is disposed in an upstream side from the cleaning blade with respect to a rotational direction of the image support body. The toner removing part removes toner particles, and is disposed in an upstream side from the antifriction agent coating part with respect to the rotational direction of the image support body.

Abstract: A charging device including a charging roller having a metallic cylinder with an elastic layer disposed thereon, and a cleaner for cleaning the surface of the charging roller. The cleaner includes a driving shaft and a cleaning roller rotatably mounted on the driving shaft. The cleaning roller is made of a non-cellular foam resin having a density of from 5 to 15 kg/m3 and a tensile strength of from 1.2 to 2.2 kg/cm2.

Abstract: A charging device including: a charging roller having a metal cylinder and an elastic layer located on the metal cylinder; a cleaner configured to clean the charging roller, which includes an electroconductive brush roller including a roller having a shaft; and hair located overlying the roller, wherein the hair includes a fiber which has a width of from 0.1 to 20 denier, and a length of from 0.3 to 2.5 mm and which is planted at a density of from 7,000 to 46,000 lines/cm2, and a member configured to impart substantially the same potential as that of the charging roller to the electroconductive brush roller when a bias voltage is applied to the charging roller. A process cartridge and an image forming apparatus including the charging device are also provided.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus that is capable of realizing good cleaning characteristics and transfer characteristics, and obtaining a high quality image using toner having a high average roundness is provided. The imaging apparatus includes an image carrier, a charge unit, a developing unit, a transfer unit, and a cleaning unit. The transfer unit may directly transfer a toner image onto a recording medium that is carried by a transfer belt, or transfer the toner image onto the transfer belt first to then transfer the toner image onto the recording medium from the transfer belt. The cleaning unit includes a cleaning blade and a brush roller. The toner used in the imaging apparatus has an average roundness &PSgr; within a range of 0.93˜0.99, and a friction coefficient &mgr;s of the image carrier satisfies a condition, friction coefficient &mgr;s≦3.6−3.3×average roundness &PSgr;.

Abstract: A cleaning unit cleans residual toner on the surface of a rotatable image carrier. The cleaning unit includes a cleaning blade that is in contact with the image carrier in such a manner that amplitude of a waveform at an edge of the cleaning blade is not greater than 40 &mgr;m with respect to a downstream side of a direction of movement of the image carrier.

Abstract: A cleaning unit is equipped with a cleaning blade that is in contact with a surface of a photosensitive drum and cleans the surface. A peak temperature of a loss tangent (tan &dgr;) is in a range of 2° C. to −30° C. when a sine-wave vibration of 10 Hz is applied to the cleaning blade. Moreover, the cleaning unit lowers a coefficient of static friction of the surface of the photosensitive drum that is to be cleaned.

Abstract: A cleaning unit includes a first blade and a second blade. The first blade is in contact with an image carrier or a paper carrier and removes adhered substances remained on surface of these. The second blade has an abrasive layer that is formed by including abrasive particles in an elastic material and is disposed in the downstream side of the first blade. The second blade is allowed to be in contact with the image carrier 1 or the paper carrier. Volume occupancy of abrasive particles in an area of contact of the second blade with either the image carrier or the paper carrier is not less than 50 percent and not more than 90 percent.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a charging device including a charge roller formed with annular grooves at opposite end portions thereof and configured to charge an image carrier. Annular gap forming members each are fitted in the annular grooves for forming a gap between the charge roller and the image carrier. The gap forming members each have an area of 1.0×10−6 m2 to 3.0×10−6 m2 in a section containing the axis of the charge roller.

Abstract: A synthesis experiment automation system is provided with a robot, which transports synthesis reaction containers from a reaction container rack to a dispensing/separation position of a dispensing and separation device, and transports the synthesis reaction containers to a predetermined position in a temperature regulator unit of a reaction device, where a reaction is carried out under previously set experiment conditions; and with a computer, which controls the actions of the robot and the operations of the dispensing and separation device and the reaction device in accordance with a plurality of previously set experiment conditions. Accordingly, the synthesis experiment automation system is capable of simultaneously performing a plurality of different experiments as complex as those usually performed by researchers, and, moreover, has a large number of possible experiment operations, and can easily be improved and/or extended.

Abstract: A developing device of the present invention uses a developer containing magnetic toner grains and includes a main pole for development disposed in a sleeve. Flux density generated by the magnetic pole in a direction normal to the surface of the sleeve outside of the surface has an attenuation ratio of 50% or above. The toner grains have a weight mean grain size of 6.0 &mgr;m to 8.0 &mgr;m while the toner grains having grain sizes of 5 &mgr;m and below occupy 40 number % to 80 number % of the entire developer. The toner grains have magnetization strength of 10 emu/g to 25 emu/g in a magnetic field of 5 kOe or magnetization strength of 7 emu/g to 20 emu/g in a magnetic field of 1 kOe. The toner grains reduce toner scattering and image defects despite that they are magnetic, thereby implementing ultrahigh resolution, image reproducibility.

Abstract: A developing device developing a latent image on a latent image carrier with a developer, and including a casing having an opening facing the latent image carrier and a developer carrier. Also included is a magnetic field generating device including a first magnetic pole generating a magnetic field causing the developer to rise on the developer carrier in a form of a magnet brush in a developing region, and a second magnetic pole generating a magnetic field at a downstream side of the first magnetic pole in a rotating direction of the developer carrier. Further, a toner-scattering restraining device is provided on an end portion of the casing at the downstream side of the developing region, and a magnetic member provided on a side of the toner-scattering restraining device facing the latent image carrier. A peak of a magnetic flux density set by the second magnetic pole in its normal direction is located outside of the opening.

Abstract: A method of detecting a defect on the surface of a structure using an infrared radiometric thermometer. It is determined that there is a lifting defect at a region of the surface if the region has a temperature difference of 0.3.degree. C. or more in comparison with a surrounding region and has an area of 200 cm.sup.2 or more. The temperature of the surface of the structure is obtained using the infrared radiometric thermometer in a period of time from 19:00 p.m. on a day when it is clear at least in the daytime to 4:30 a.m. on the next day.

Abstract: A quadrupole mass spectrometer which gives a uniform mass separation over a large mass number range without being affected by the nob-linear characteristics of the components of a control circuit arrangement and comprises an all-solid-state control circuit by using an O-method according to the invention to compare the positive or negative peak value U+V or U-V of U+Vcos.omega. t or the positive or negative peak value V-U or --U+V of --U-Vcos.omega. t, U+Vcos.omega. t and --U-Vcos.omega. t being voltages given to two pairs of rods of a quadrupole section respectively, to reference voltage (U.sub.o +V.sub.o) or (U.sub.o -V.sub.o) or (--U.sub.o +V.sub.o) or (--U.sub.o -V.sub.o), U.sub.o and V.sub.o being a DC voltage and the peak value of RF voltage to which U and V should be controlled and minimize the difference between the peak value (RF+DC) voltages to the high precision reference voltages as mentioned above.

Abstract: When conducting preprocessing to extract targeted components sample solution, the purpose is to be able to conduct the processing in a shortened length of time by greatly shortening the entire processing time, even if the number being processed is increased. A single needle holder, to which a single needle nozzle is attached to take sample solution into test tubes arranged in a sample rack and inject the sample solution into solid phase extraction tubes, and a multiple linked needle holder for injecting solvent, to which multiple needle nozzles are attached to simultaneously supply multiple solid phase extraction tubes with solvent, are mounted interchangeable on a head, the movement of which can be controlled in the directions of three orthogonal axes; and when aforementioned needle holders are mounted on said head, flow rate control pumps, which are switchable between the intake and discharge directions, are mounted through the piping which connects those needle nozzles with the solvent supply sources.

Abstract: A printing-plate making apparatus is constructed such that a mode selecting switch adapted to change a master supplying process depending on properties of a master X is disposed on a housing 1 of the printing-plate making apparatus and various conditions, e.g., a master supplying process, locking member 4 for a master supplying roller 3, a temperature preset for a panel heater 33 and a compressing force given by press rollers 35a and 35b are automatically changed to optimal conditions corresponding to masters selected by the mode selecting switch. The printing-plate making apparatus is provided with a master heating switch on the housing 1 of the printing-plate making apparatus and when the master heating switch is actuated, applying of a certain voltage to at least a charger is stopped so that the panel heater 33 arranged at a fixing step is kept in the heated state so as to serve as a master heating unit.

Abstract: A post-processing apparatus for washing off a photosensitive layer in a non-image area of an organic photoconductive master plate that has been prepared on a platemaker through the steps of exposure, development and fixing. The apparatus including a swelling/wetting section for rendering the photosensitive layer in the non-image area swollen and wet; a stripping section for stripping and removing the photosensitive layer; a cleaning section for washing the photosensitive layer with water; solution receiving tanks provided for the respective sections for receiving processing solution; spray pipes provided along a width of the master plate for spraying the processing solution from the solution receiving tanks respectively associated with the swelling/wetting, the stripping and the cleaning sections; and a detector for detecting a temperature of the processing solution. The detector being provided in a rear end of a fluid passageway of the spray pipe in the swelling/wetting section.

Abstract: A plate making machine of a compact size has a mechanism for dealing with jamming, by which jammed master paper can be easily removed, and the maintenance of an exposure stage and a supply transfer system can be performed without disassembling the machine body. The supply transfer system for feeding the master paper X to the exposure stage 9 is provided in a generally horizontal direction at an upper portion of the plate making machine body 1. A lamp house 13 for projecting the original image is provided above the exposure stage 9. An exposure plate 24 is provided at the exposure stage 9, and the exposure plate is tiltable about tilting shaft 25 provided at the side thereof opposite to the supply transfer system. An endless feed belt 33 for feeding and discharging the master paper X relative to the exposure plate 24 is provided in surrounding relation to the exposure plate 24.

Abstract: An automatic preparation apparatus comprising turntable means for mounting thereon a plurality of containers including sample containers, rack means, provided at a stationary position separate from the turntable means, for mounting thereon a plurality of sample containers, robot means for transferring the sample containers between the turntable means and the rack means, and control means for performing desired treatments on the liquid in the sample containers on the turntable means.

Abstract: An automatic preparation apparatus has turntable means in which a plurality of test tubes can be disposed in radial direction, filter robot means which can move a releasable filter onto one of those test tubes, and probe robot means which can sample the liquid contained within one of the test tubes and inject a predetermined amount of liquid into another one of the test tubes and filter. Furthermore, the apparatus comprises control means for controlling those means in accordance with a predetermined sequence to effect a desired preparation. The probe robot means has a support arm member for supporting the filter.

Abstract: An automatic preparation apparatus has turntable means in which a plurality of test tubes can be disposed in radial direction, filter robot means which can move a releasable filter onto one of those test tubes, and probe robot means which can sample the liquid contained within one of the test tubes and inject a predetermined amount of liquid into another one of the test tubes and filter. Furthermore, the apparatus comprises control means for controlling those means in accordance with a predetermined sequence to effect a desired preparation.